Joel M. Babbit
PrimericaAbout Joel M. Babbit
Joel M. Babbit, age 71, has served as an independent director of Primerica, Inc. since August 2011. He is Co‑Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Narrative Content Group, LLC and brings more than 35 years of marketing and advertising leadership. He holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Georgia and received the Henry Grady School of Journalism Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 . He is independent under NYSE standards and serves on the Compensation Committee .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrative Content Group, LLC | Co‑Founder & CEO | 2009–present | Digital content production & distribution leadership |
| Grey Atlanta (WPP’s Grey Global Group) | President & Chief Creative Officer | 2002–2009 | Led post‑acquisition integration and creative operations |
| WPP’s GCI Group | President | Not disclosed | Led one of the world’s largest PR firms |
| Chiat/Day Inc. (NY office) | EVP & General Manager | Not disclosed | Senior operating leadership in advertising |
| City of Atlanta (Mayor’s cabinet) | Chief Marketing & Communications Officer | 1996 Olympics period | Public sector leadership and civic communications |
| Babbit & Reiman; 360 | Co‑Founder | Not disclosed | Built two of the largest Southeastern U.S. agencies (sold to GGT/WPP) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| GreenSky, Inc. | Director | Mar 2015–Apr 2022 | Board service at fintech lender |
| Public company boards (current) | None | — | — |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Compensation Committee; not a chair .
- Independence: Board determined independence under NYSE and company categorical standards .
- Attendance: Each director attended 90% or more of aggregate Board and applicable committee meetings in fiscal 2024; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting. Board held four meetings; Compensation Committee held eight .
- Overboarding policy: Max four public boards; Audit members capped at three audit committees; annual review of directors’ external boards .
- Executive sessions: Regular sessions of independent directors; independent committees .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board cash retainer | $100,000 | Paid quarterly |
| Compensation Committee member fee | $10,000 | Annual member cash fee; paid quarterly |
| Total cash fees (fiscal 2024) | $110,000 | As reported in Director Compensation Table |
| All other compensation | $1,418 | Dividends on unvested equity awards |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Fair Value (USD) | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director equity (RSUs or DSUs at election) | May 8, 2024 | 684 | $149,940 | Quarterly in 4 tranches; final tranche may vest at next Annual Meeting | Babbit elected DSUs in 2024 |
| Unvested units at 12/31/2024 | — | 342 | $92,826 | Remaining quarterly tranches | Market value based on $271.42 close |
| Performance metrics | — | — | — | — | Director equity is time‑based; no performance conditions disclosed |
The Company’s prohibited practices include hedging and pledging of company stock by directors and officers, supporting alignment of incentives and risk controls .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship | Overlap/Interlock |
|---|---|---|
| GreenSky, Inc. | Former public company director (2015–2022) | No interlocks with PRI disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Sales & marketing, strategic planning, sustainability, human capital management .
- Public sector communications experience (1996 Atlanta Olympics) .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Detail (as of Mar 1, 2025) | Shares/Units | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 13,833 | <1% | Less than one percent of 33,118,365 shares |
| Vested RSUs | 5,541 | — | Included in beneficial ownership |
| Vested deferred stock units (DSUs) | 6,763 | — | Included in beneficial ownership |
| Unvested DSUs not vesting within 60 days | 171 | — | Excluded from beneficial ownership count |
| Director ownership guideline | 5x annual cash retainer | — | All non‑employee directors (except Wilson) exceed guideline |
| Hedging/pledging status | Prohibited | — | Policy bars such practices by directors |
Insider Trades
| Date | Transaction | Shares/Units | Price (USD) | Post‑Txn Holdings | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 20, 2024 | Sale (open market) | 750 | $245.46 | Not disclosed | |
| May 14, 2025 | Acquisition (non‑open market; director plan) | 30 | $261.16 | 9,072 | |
| Sep 15, 2025 | DSU/phantom stock via dividend reinvestment | 28.6055 | $274.23 | 9,100.3759 |
Governance Assessment
- Committee effectiveness: Serves on Compensation Committee with independent members; no interlocks; the committee engages independent consultant Pearl Meyer and confirms no conflicts of interest .
- Independence & attendance: Independent; met attendance expectations; supports board stability and governance quality .
- Compensation alignment: Mix of cash and time‑based equity with DSU election enhances long‑term alignment; director stock ownership exceeds guideline, supporting skin‑in‑the‑game .
- Policies mitigating conflicts: Robust related party transaction review (Audit Committee) with no Babbit‑related transactions disclosed; prohibitions on hedging/pledging reduce misalignment risk .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Babbit. No related‑party transactions, hedging/pledging, or attendance shortfalls reported; director equity not repriced, and compensation elements are standard for non‑employee directors .